How to Clean a Conventional Strop

Here is how I clean my strops:For the leather:Step 1: Take wet rag and lightly scrub with saddle soap. (Saddle soap can be purchased in Walmart by the shoe shine section) . Let it sit for about two minutes then remove the lather with a damp rag followed by a dry one. I repeated this twice on both sides.

Step 2: If there are any nicks take a very fine wet/dry sandpaper (can be purchased at auto parts store) around 1500 grit and gently wet sanded the surface for about two minutes. (Consult a professional before making any repairs).

Step 3: Apply oil (I used baseball glove condition oil which is essentially neatsfoot oil) with a lint-free rag. You might have to do more than one application. Let sit for a half hour or so.
The draw should be restored. Repeat if needed.

For the linen:

Step 1: Grab a small thumb brush (or non-coarse scrub brush), a bowl of warm water and two tablespoons of powdered laundry soap.

Step 2. Mix detergent in the warm water and dip brush in the bowl. Lightly scrub strop. (You will see a lot of dirt coming off) Rinse. Repeat if needed.

Step 3: Hang dry. (DO NOT PUT IN DRYER) It must dry naturally or it will shrink.